Stocking Your Art Supply Cabinet
Teachers can sometimes find themselves at a loss when stocking their art supply cabinets. While they certainly know the basics (e.g. kids craft scissors, crayola markers, crayola crayons, etc.), it can be difficult to think of other inspiring craft supplies for young artists to explore. Jen, creator of the children's art site paint cut paste, has put together a list of materials for kids between the ages of two and five years old for some fun and fresh ideas! Before collecting materials, Jen recommends having the proper storage and organizational tools for your supply closet. Clear bins with labels will allow children to see what materials are available and to find supplies relatively quickly, while stacking containers will free up additional storage space. Also, having a cabinet that is big enough to keep all materials in one place is handy, but not always doable in the classroom setting. No matter what works for your particular classroom, having a plan for organization before you start goes a long way!
Non-Exhaustive List of Materials
Paper
- Drawing tablets or white typing paper
- Watercolor paper
- Card stock or rolls of easel paper (for painting)
- Fingerpaint paper
- Coloring books
- Colorful paper scraps (scrapbooking, origami paper, greeting cards, etc.)
Graphic Art Supplies
- Crayons
- Colored pencils
- Washable markers
- Creamy crayons
- Oil pastels
- Chalk (Crayola sidewalk chalk, pastels, chalkboard, etc.)
Paint
- Watercolors
- Acrylic
- Tempera
- Fingerpaint
Modeling Clay & Dough
- Homemade play dough
- Play-doh
- Crayola model magic
- Recycled materials
- Craft accessories (buttons, pom poms, beads, feathers, etc.)
- Felt and fabric scraps
Tools
- Kids Paintbrushes
- Scissors
- Craft glue
- Tape
- Rags
- Sponges
While certainly not limited to these items, here is a list to get you started on stocking an exciting art supply cabinet!